Research Technician

We are looking for a Research Specialist to join the Evolutionary Ecology Lab at Holden Arboretum. Our team is interested in the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that confer/constrain plant adaptation to rapid environmental change, through the lenses of ecology, genomics, and microbiome. Our team is currently funded by National Science Foundation and state grants.

The research specialist will contribute to our project on plant-microbiome symbiosis that leverages robotic and phenotyping platforms to advance our understanding of the rules that govern microbe-microbe and microbe-host interactions under changing climates. The research specialist will conduct field sampling, maintain cultures of plants and microbes, perform manipulative experiments and microbiome sequencing, and prepare scientific results for presentation and publication. The research specialist will have opportunities to travel to collaborators’ labs, perform outreach, mentor undergraduate and high school students, and present at meetings and conferences.

This position can be part-time (32 h/week) to full-time (40 h/week), to be determined upon further communication. The appointment is one year at minimum, with reappointment contingent upon satisfaction of performance. The salary will be commensurate with candidate’s qualifications. Additional benefits apply according to Holden Forests & Gardens policy.

Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or related fields. Previous field and laboratory experience, including but not limited to field work, microbial culturing and assays, aseptic techniques, DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, and data analyses.

Desired Qualifications: Master of Science or higher, preferred. Experience with statistical analyses using R, programming, bioinformatics, scientific writing, or related skills, preferred.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Na Wei (nwei@holdenfg.org), including a letter of interest describing research interests and previous research experience, a CV, and contact information of two references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, please submit applications (https://holdenfg.org/career-and-internships/?gnk=job&gni=8a78839f882ca4af01882f6fc0525331) by June 30, 2023.